President's Commission on the Assassination of - The Warren Commission (Complete Edition)

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I was not.

And I might further add that no one else other than perhaps my close friends inquired as to my contact with Lee Harvey Oswald during that period.

Mr. Jenner. All right.

You have related to us an incident of your brother being interviewed by the FBI, and he reporting back to you either that evening or that same day of that interview. That is the one in which your brother reported to you that inquiry had been made of him as to whether he was an agent of any agency of the United States, and you responded—I have forgotten now just how you phrased it.

Mr. Oswald. "Well, don't you know, sir?"

Mr. Jenner. Now, in addition to that particular occasion, were there any instances in which you were directly advised or advised by your brother or by Mrs. Vada Oswald of any other interviews by any agent of the United States Government with your brother, after his return from Russia?

Mr. Oswald. I believe, sir, to the best of my remembrance on that question, that I was advised by Lee Harvey Oswald, after he and his wife took up residence on Mercedes Street in Fort Worth, that the FBI had contacted him and held an interview with Lee Harvey Oswald in their car in front of their apartment on Mercedes Street.

Mr. Jenner. When you say in their car, you mean the automobile of the agents?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct, sir.

Mr. Jenner. And was that approximately the middle of October—I mean the middle of August?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; it would have been approximately the middle of August 1962.

Mr. Jenner. Your brother reported that to you, did he?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; he did.

Mr. Jenner. Is that the first information you had about it—that is, did it come through your brother initially to you?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I had indication from Mr. Fain, when he called me at my office, inquiring as to where Lee was residing at that time, that they did want to speak to him.

Mr. Jenner. I see.

And I take it, then, that Mr. Fain had called you at your office, as you testified yesterday, shortly before this interview took place with your brother.

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

Mr. Jenner. Did you inquire of your brother about it, or did he volunteer it?

Mr. Oswald. He volunteered the information, sir.

Mr. Jenner. I have forgotten now.

Have I had you recite what your brother said to you about it?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; you have not.

Mr. Jenner. Would you please state that—and who was present when your brother related this to you?

Mr. Oswald. To the best of my remembrance of that occasion, sir, it was in the presence of my brother, myself, and his wife, Marina N. Oswald.

Mr. Jenner. In their home, or your home?

Mr. Oswald. In their home, on Mercedes Street—either the afternoon or the following day of the interview. And he just simply stated to me, sir, that the FBI had been by and had held an interview with him in their car in the front of their residence on Mercedes Street.

Mr. Jenner. Did he tell you anything about the thrust of the interview, anything that had been said, what the inquiries were of him?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I do not recall any.

Mr. Jenner. Your recollection now serves you only to say that he did report to you that FBI agents had interviewed him in their automobile, in front of or near their apartment on Mercedes Street—2703 Mercedes Street—is that correct?

Mr. Oswald. I do not recall the number of the house, sir. I do recall it was at the Mercedes Street address, and I have exhausted my recollection of that particular occasion.

Mr. Jenner. Do you recall what you said or what others said—that is, others in addition to your brother—on that particular occasion, when he recited the event?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I do not recall any further comment about that particular event at that time.

Mr. Dulles. There is one question I would like to ask at this point.

This is slightly on a different subject.

Mrs. Marina Oswald, as I recall—and I don't know whether you were present, Mr. Jenner, when she gave this testimony or not.

Mr. Jenner. I think not.

Mr. Dulles. She stated that in the later period she had the impression that your brother was trying to break off a little with, I might call it, the Russian group in Fort Worth that he had had a good many contacts with. That is when they called, he did not seem to welcome their coming, and they slowly stopped coming. I think this was to the house on Mercedes Street.

Do you have any recollection of that? Did you know about that? Did Marina speak to you about that? Or did your brother speak to you about that?

Mr. Jenner. Or did you have any impressions about it?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; I do have impressions about that—at that particular time when they were residing in Fort Worth.

If I may, sir——

Mr. Dulles. It was Fort Worth when this took place?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir.

Mr. Dulles. Mercedes Street is in Fort Worth?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner. Would you sort of start at the beginning, and give us what impressions you had, as to how this impressed you, as an incident?

Mr. Oswald. All right, sir.

During the period that they resided at the Mercedes Street address, I was of the opinion—and I was present on one occasion at the Mercedes Street address——

Mr. Jenner. Could you fix the time?

Mr. Oswald. This would be approximately the latter part of August 1962, sir.

Mr. Jenner. It would be subsequent to this interview by the FBI agents with your brother in the automobile near their home?

Mr. Oswald. To the best of my recollection, I would say that would be so, sir.

Mr. Jenner. All right.

Mr. Oswald. That Mr. Paul Gregory had retained Marina in the capacity of teaching him the Russian language, and he in return was paying her a certain amount per hour for this instruction.

Mr. Jenner. And how did you come by that information?

Mr. Oswald. On the night that I was present at the home or apartment on Mercedes Street, I was informed——

Mr. Jenner. By whom?

Mr. Oswald. By Lee Harvey Oswald—that Mr. Paul Gregory was due to arrive at any moment, to take him and Marina driving around Fort Worth, Tex. During this period Marina and Mr. Paul Gregory would converse in the Russian language, and that she would be paid by the hour for her time, and for the instruction.

Mr. Jenner. Who was present on this occasion when your brother told you that, in addition to yourself and your brother?

Mr. Oswald. Marina N. Oswald.

Mr. Jenner. And your brother spoke in English, did he?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct, sir.

Mr. Jenner. To the best of your knowledge and present recollection, did Marina understand what he was relating to you? Did he make it apparent to her?

Mr. Oswald. I believe, sir, to the best of my recollection that generally she was apparent to what he was saying to me. I do feel like she certainly recognized the name of Mr. Paul Gregory and was able more or less to fill in the conversation to the extent that she understood that Mr. Gregory was due to arrive, and that they were to converse in the Russian language for his benefit.

And it was my understanding at this time, either implied or stated to me, by Lee Harvey Oswald, that this was not the first occasion that this had occurred.

Mr. Jenner. I see.

Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Dulles, if I may interrupt at this time—you have brought here with you this morning a copy of the New York Times which you have very kindly allowed me to look at and read.

On page 22 of the New York Times, Saturday edition, February 22, 1964, there is an article there——

Mr. Dulles. I may add I have not read the paper yet.

Mr. McKenzie. There is an article here by Mr. Anthony Lewis, correspondent for the New York Times, dateline Washington, February 21, which I would like to put into the record.